"Oscars" TV ad prices rise to pre-recession levels

While most of us every-day people are still struggling with the effects of the recession, it seems that ABC and the “Oscars” are ready to move on and bring their advertising prices back to their pre-recession levels.

During this year’s “Oscars”, the going rates for a commercial spot will be higher than they have been for some time. Advertising Age reports that ABC has been getting between $1.65 million and $1.8 million for a 30-second spot this year, which is up from last years $1.6 million to $1.7 million per 30-seconds. In addition to this, the prices for ads on both Oscars.com and the ABC Oscars app have increased. ABC reports that they have “nearly sold out ad inventory” and that they are using this scarcity to test whether or not latecomers will be willing to pay upwards of $2 million for a 30-second ad. The lowest that the ads have gone for in recent years were $1.3 million per 30-seconds in 2009. For some reason I can’t find it in my heart to feel bad for them.

In comparison, the price for some February 3rd Super Bowl ad spots are going for more than $4 million, and ad agency execs have estimated that CBS earns on average $3.7 million to $3.8 million for 30-second spots. The Super Bowl pulls considerably higher numbers each year than the “Oscars”, but $2 million an ad is nothing to scoff at.

For almost $2 million an ad, I hope that commercials most people are going to mute are really worth it.